Get rid of potential leakers and continue the mass-analysis of everyone's data. I suppose that it's a good thing if fewer people have access to my information, but it doesn't fix the fact that you shouldn't have it in the first place, without warrant or cause!

But one thing you'll find: no one has willfully or knowingly disobeyed the law or tried to invade your civil liberties or privacy.

This is ironically false, since Snowden obviously disobeyed the law and the whole program violates your privacy.

That said, on what basis does he make this assertion? It's not at all clear that there are the necessary safeguards to prevent or catch anyone violating the NSA policies about how to use the data. So if someone did misuse the data, would they even know? More importantly, if someone in the administration chose to misuse the data -- as the Nixon administration did in the events that led to the establishment of FISA -- would anyone know? Even if everyone so far has acted like angels, that's no guarantee this system of total surveillance with no oversight will not be misused in the future.

Of course no one has disobeyed the law. They don't have to. The law is just a rubber stamp on this issue. At this point any reasonable expectation of privacy would have to come as a constitutional amendment.

So to improve security, they are putting everything on the cloud, which has proven to be rather leaky. Personally I'm still not completely sold on the cloud, since all your info is on someone else's server and if you lose internet you can't even use your own data.

Yeah this isn't happening. I doubt they going to be able to remove those positions and actually move to this mythical cloud. The government runs too many systems that are decentralized to actually consolidate effectively.

It sounds like someone (Government Contractor) has sold them on building yet another IT system.

I first want to say that this topic is highly relevant and I think somewhat insideous. It's removing any resistance to management activities - because who is going to notices weird uses of the network? How can this not help SkyNet or our network being subverted? It follows the proliferation of drones and the dehumanization of our society. I say this action is tantamount to treason and weakens our country as the action will damage the economy by billions of dollars. It arguably won't help security.

With what's been revealed these last few weeks, it's my hope that at the end of the day, these supposedly omnipotent buffoons are dragged into court and held PERSONALLY responsible for their actions. Which include; willfully lying under sworn testimony to Congress.

With what's been revealed these last few weeks, it's my hope that at the end of the day, these supposedly omnipotent buffoons are dragged into court and held PERSONALLY responsible for their actions. Which include; willfully lying under sworn testimony to Congress.

I'd just like to add that the Fourth Amendment is not a "compliance issue", and should be treated accordingly.

Jeez- holding aside the NSA's naked contempt for privacy rights and civil liberties-- did they really not foresee these kinds of leaks beforehand? Mission Impossible had us believe you would need to ninja-drop with retina-implants into a pressure sensitive bunker to access this kind of data. In the 90s it actually seemed plausible that the gov't had its data protected that well. At the very least you would need authorization from two different people to do something like export a table. Boy...

"What we've done is put people in loops of transferring data and securing networks—doing what machines are probably better at doing," Alexander said. Moving to an automated cloud provisioning system, he explained, would cut the number of hands that touch the NSA's internal systems and address vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities, such as allowing human beings with a conscience to voice concern in regards to gross government overreach, and letting the American public know what they have a right to know. Automation should help eliminate those pesky vulnerabilities.

Sounds like a decision by someone who hears the buzzwords and does not realize "The Cloud" is just a bunch of metal servers that have to be installed and maintained just like any other server. They are not maintained by magical cloud fairies.

So if they are getting rid of all the system admins why does monster spam my inbox daily with new NSA positions it thinks I should apply for?I will laugh when they put all their data on Rackspace and lose 10 exabytes of data because china hacked the data centers long ago.

But one thing you'll find: no one has willfully or knowingly disobeyed the law or tried to invade your civil liberties or privacy.

This is ironically false, since Snowden obviously disobeyed the law and the whole program violates your privacy.

That said, on what basis does he make this assertion? It's not at all clear that there are the necessary safeguards to prevent or catch anyone violating the NSA policies about how to use the data. So if someone did misuse the data, would they even know?

Indeed, this makes no sense to me.

They are essentially saying "no one gained unauthorised access to any data, we guarantee this". "Oh, but we're going to arrest Snowden for taking loads of data without authorisation!".

Clearly people have had access to things they aren't supposed to, or have been allowed access when they shouldn't. How could they possibly guarantee security of client data, when they can't even keep their own top secret documents under wraps?

And this is beside the point, their opinion that they aren't invading anyone's privacy is entirely subjective. They get to decide what is acceptable and what isn't, not the public. Democracy my arse.

The NSA should have never contracted out system administration in the first place. Allowing outside contractors access to the NSA's data is NEVER a good move.

If anything, the NSA should be a branch of the military and only military system administrators should be allowed access to the data. This way, it is clear to the system administrators that taking data can result in a charge of treason and a death sentence.

I think it is OK for the NSA to do its data gathering.

I strongly disagree to the NSA sharing its data with the police or FBI or anyone else for anything other than anti-terrorist reasons.

With what's been revealed these last few weeks, it's my hope that at the end of the day, these supposedly omnipotent buffoons are dragged into court and held PERSONALLY responsible for their actions. Which include; willfully lying under sworn testimony to Congress.

I'd just like to add that the Fourth Amendment is not a "compliance issue", and should be treated accordingly.

I second that.

Seems like everything I read about this issue is another "F**K You" to the rights and freedoms of general public.

The irony here is rather hilarious, and the whole situation reminds me of the classic 'gotcha' line in 'A Few Good Men'.

"If you gave the order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, and your orders are always followed, why would Santiago be in danger? Why would it be necessary to transfer him off the base?"

Same thing.

If the proper controls are in place to make sure that the wrong people don't access the data, and these controls can't be bypassed, why is it necessary to eliminate people with access to this data to make sure the wrong people don't access it? Sounds more like a cleanup than anything.

As a former contractor to DoD, IC, and others, I fully agree that there should be few outside contractors in this arena. Much of the surveillance society are courtesy of contractors and allow for questionable judgement of their existence.